


A Tempting Question

by Yueira



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-13
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2018-09-17 04:47:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9304925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yueira/pseuds/Yueira
Summary: The arishok asks a question. A question we all want to answer positively *wink**Spoilers*Final chapter is a bit smutty, BEWARE.





	1. Not Impossible?

A Tempting Question

She had done it as a last resort, and attempted to sweep the arishok's feet with by sidestepping and a kick to the ankles. Kiera didn't really expect it to work- these people were like rocks when it came to hand to hand combat, unshakable in the most intense of attacks, she was quite sure that they'd only fall when dead.  
Hence, there was no reason to dodge or prepare for the ensuing madness the arishok actually appeared to lose his balance, and fell, pinning her heavily to the ground. Kiera was stunned when the back of her head thumped against the dirt courtyard, and she saw constellations, not mere stars dotting her vision.  
The arishok seemed equally astonished to find her caught underneath him, and tried to get up without hurting her even more. He was perplexed when she barely moved after, and when he judged that Kiera he was indeed unable to continue the spar, he slipped his arms under her, lifting her effortlessly.  
He found her impossibly light, and carried her up the steps of the compound and into his quarters. He placed her gently on the bed and stood, gazing at her stretched out form before again sweeping out the door.

  
Soon, Kiera stirred, having almost recovered. She sat up in a daze, cradling her banged-up head when he returned a second time, laying down her blades on the thin linen.  
"Oh. Um..." She was vaguely embarrassed at her infirmity, but knew enough to not show it to one like the arishok.  
"Are you able to stand?" His voice rumbled gently through the night air.  
Kiera nodded, and immediately regretted this, her brains seemed thoroughly scrambled as waves of nausea disoriented her further— and she clutched at her seemingly loosened head, hoping to still the swaying world.  
"Do you need a healer?"  
She muttered something incomprehensible and waved her hand, indicating the negative. She then casted a spell in a rare moment of lucidity, stabilizing the blood flow to her head.  
"Saarebas." This he could not ignore, not again.  
Kiera's tone was understandably crabby, "Yes, I am. What of it?"  
She realized that she had snapped at the arishok only a moment later, and looked up at him, fearing the worst. They were probably going to chain her up like one of their own. To her surprise, all she saw was an indescribable look, one that resembled curiosity on the qunari's visage, seemingly considering their circumstances.  
"I...am sorry for not revealing this earlier." An awkward moment, to say the least.  
"The qun does not tolerate an unchained mage." He was still standing, eyeing her closely.

  
"Yes well… the only shackles I've ever considered wearing are ones for bondage." It was only after she spoke that she realised in horror, having uttered such words to the commander of the military arm of the qun. She blamed her dazed mental state, yes, that was it.  
"Bondage? What does that mean?" She looked up at him, and was tempted to lie, but that would make the awkwardness worse, not to mention that she couldn't think of anything suitable to replace the connotation she had in mind.  
“It is… part of a sexual act. With… chains.” The tips of her ears were starting to burn.  
There was a long pause. "The Qun does not permit physical intimacy for its own sake."  
Kiera thought that she heard something in his voice, and she looked up at his towering figure. His gaze seemed almost curious again, almost heated, as he pondered the image she had supplied.

  
"So... I hope you don't intend to collar me like you have done with your mages." She shifted her weight, and felt the adrenaline pulse through her veins again.  
The arishok broke out of this momentary reverie, shaking his head, silent all the while.  
"I apologise for the—lewd mental image." Her face felt hot, as did her ears. She wished she could be as normal as he was about it—she wanted to crawl into a hole somewhere and not come out till kingdom come.  
It was a relief when the arishok spoke again. "It is nothing."  
Kiera tried to get off the bed, but only found herself blocked by the arishok's huge frame, and he watched her movements with another unreadable expression.  
"You say that you...practice such… things?"  
"What? Um... Well I've only considered it, I haven't actually done it."  
"Then why do you bring it up?"  
"I was... Being a fool. I babbled."  
The silence seemed to stretch as the arishok’s gaze levelled at her. "Would you consider it then? Now?"  
"…now? I… I'm not sure about that." She was losing her mind—that was it, there could be no other reason for the turn in conversation.

  
"The qunari act will be uncomfortable."  
"So I've heard.” She paused. "Wait. When you said 'will' you mean..."  
"Perhaps I might consider it."  
"The… act?" She tried not to think about it, wondering what he had meant. Privately, she thought that she had died and was living out a final fantasy. That was the only way all this was even happening, she surmised.  
"Interracial copulation is however, pointless." The iron gaze still held hers, and she wondered whether he saw the fear in them.  
Kiera swallowed, and cleared her throat. "Yes, I…I assume that would be so."  
"But… not impossible." It seemed that the arishok seemed to expect something of her; but she couldn't really decide what he truly meant. Her brain was overheating with all this blushing.


	2. A brief reprieve

So she managed to escape. No, he had _allowed_  her to leave—Kiera was pretty sure that if it came down to anything, there would be no way she could have left the arishok's quarters in one piece. As she paced in her room, the light grew brighter—it was dawn. But still she was perplexed, even as she made through the motions of her morning toilette.

Her mind was now reasoning with clarity, preoccupied with the night's conversation—and each thought found its way to the ways 'the act' could be performed without  _too_  much bodily harm.

_The arishok's fingers—long, sharp claws—those needed to be restrained. Perhaps suggest a trim? A good filing?_ But as soon as she imagined those raking across her skin in ecstasy—she shuddered, almost bumping into yet another tall, muscular creature.

Kiera muttered her apologies, and walked out into the yard. She grabbed her weapons, and made as if to go through the motions which she did daily, if a little half-heartedly.

_Perhaps chains?_  Her mind went again.  _On him? Or her?_  This was vital, but Kiera was sure that the  _arishok_  could break through those without straining. She had once seen Sten—ah—she knew the right person to consult. Sten.

Turning, she found the same lilac gaze which had been watching her ill-focused movements ever since she had emerged from her chambers.

"You are distracted,  _kadan_." His observation was always astute, though he rarely deigned to state the obvious.

Kiera shook her head, struggling to concentrate on her friend's face, and not let her gaze wander elsewhere— lingering on choice areas like his broad shoulders, rippling arms, well-built chest, defined abdomen and of course his—hind…quarters.

She sighed, despairing. "Very distracted." She covered her eyes with a hand, trying not to blush like the fool she felt.  _Bronze skin_. Her mind whispered.  _And very large—muscles._

"Perhaps you would require a partner today?" This confused her. A partner for what? The act? Her eyes flicked upwards to his, mortified.

"A sparring partner. Opponent. Whatever it is you people use." Sten's perennial frown deepened, and Kiera winced at her idiocy.

"I could use some help, yes." She stood and readied herself. At least her mind was not still going on about—  _Endurance_.  _Qunari endurance is a fine thing_. GAH.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for it being so short. Thanks for reading!


	3. Do not Judge

Sten watched his  _kadan_ , her swings were inaccurate, her dodges less-than-perfect, her trademark sidesteps were nonexistent. In three minutes, he had her disarmed and pinned. Her consequently panicked movements beneath him were astonishing. Her concentration was indeed lacking, he noted as he lifted himself off her and she, in turn, scrambled hurriedly to her feet.

"What is bothering you?" They walked away from the training yard, away from curious folk and into the forest, before trailing along the beach. This was a secluded enough area where they could converse without the  _Qun_  bearing on their every action. Whispers and gazes lurked while they were in the compound. Sometimes, Sten preferred the relative freedom he had felt in that dog-land.

The woman sighed, perching on a granite boulder that had been smoothed by the sea.

"Promise you won't laugh." Silence greeted her words. Sten had never found it necessary to portray mirth in that manner. It seemed that even his  _kadan_  knew this, for she corrected herself after a few short moments. "Oh right. Promise you won't think any less of me."

"I will…  _try_  my utmost not to judge your thoughts, whatever they might be." He sighed. That was all he could  _promise_. An odd choice of words—what did his opinion matter in her affairs?

"Do you think you would be able to wrench yourself free if you were chained?"

Sten considered this. A truly strange question—idle, at best. Perhaps Kiera was thinking about potential Tevinter prisoners on the island. There was no chance of that. The magisters rarely took  _qunari_ as prisoners, even less so  _kossiths_. "Yes. Our strength is quite formidable."

"Yes… as is your— bulk." The  _kadan_  paused shortly, before continuing. "Any implements I should have at hand? If say, one would want to… distract a  _kossith_. I remember you saying something about a heated iron bar to Morrigan." Her face was turned outwards to the sea, preventing Sten from seeing her face. He did not understand her sudden mention of the swamp witch. That was a subject he cared very little for.

He sighed heavily. "Where is this going?"

A long pause, before the  _kadan_  spoke again, her words tumbling out in a rush. "The _qunari_  act— I—I want to know allaboutit."

"Why the curiosity?" He evaded her question. This was not a proper topic for discussion. Especially not with the  _kadan_.

"Well I—I might like to try it… maybe." She seemed defeated, slouching as she peered at the sand beneath their feet.

Sten was not amused. The  _Qun_  did not approve of  _relations_  of the physical sort, except in the case of breeding. There was no other purpose to be derived from the act. Unless… the  _kadan_  was considering a conversion to the  _Qun_. But that too, seemed equally unlikely.

"Forget I said anything." She muttered from next to him; she now huddled up, tense, brows furrowed. These people were unfathomable. There should be no cause for such a discussion. Unless…

"You wish for a  _demonstration_?" This was uttered with no small amount of shock, and just a tinge of horror. The  _kadan's_  muteness spoke for her.

Sten thought furiously as ominous thoughts flooded his mind—  _it_ was not completely impossible.


	4. Just a tad Jealous

Kiera knew that she really should be paying more attention—Sten seemed to be saying something important. He never raised his voice, in incredulity or otherwise. Perhaps the occasional snarl and battlecry while fighting, but never in a normal conversation. Of course, nothing about this discussion they were having was normal, but he was always worth listening to.

She glanced over at him, and she was shocked, when she detected a faint blush. How cute—she mused to herself, knowing full well that that was the result of some utter nonsense her brain seemed to come up with only very recently.

Idly, she began counting off the potentially erogenous zones on the body. At least six?

_Kossiths had to have the same…body parts as humans did_ , she supposed. Her gaze began to linger on her companion's body again.  _Just much—larger? Definitely larger._

There really weren’t many differences between Sten and the arishok—barring those horns and sharp claws— Kiera snapped her eyes away when her friend looked up, thoroughly embarrassed by the shameless way she was appraising his physical appearance.

"If you wish…  _kadan_ , there is a way to—satisfy your curiosity." The delicate stress laid on that last word piqued her interest. She half-fancied that a smile was forming on Sten's thin lips. It was a most foreign expression on that usually impassive face.

"My… curiosity?" Talk about awkward moments.

"I could… demonstrate." Now that—she was quite certain that she did not imagine that sudden darkened colour of those stony cheeks.

"You?" She squeaked—it wasn't that she never wondered but—where was all of this suddenly coming from? Morrigan had called Sten a prude once, and it had seemed to be quite a good description. First the  _arishok_ , and now…

Sten surveyed her silently for a moment, and the heated flush on his skin dissipated rapidly. At length, he spoke again, though an edge seemed to have crept into his usually emotionless voice. "If you would prefer one performed by your – species—it will be relatively more difficult to arrange."

Kiera only gaped. _How_ in the Maker did one even begin to reply to that?

"But perhaps I will _try_ , for your sake." The stern gaze that beheld her broke away, and Sten turned to leave. Apparently, she had hurt his feelings.

"No, no—it's fine…" she began, following his rapid strides, catching his arm—halting his movement as definitively as a wall. She almost walked into his unexpectedly still body.

"You don't have to do it. All that was just… a moment of idle chatter. I know how—uncomfortable this sort of conversation makes you—so…"

Sten broke in, "How is it—different—among _your_ people?"

" _My_ …?" Kiera was certain she was raving mad by now. Why would Sten be curious about this?

Those lilac eyes did not shy away in posing his queries. " _Pleasant_?"

"What? I… I'm not all that experienced in that—"

" _Is_ it?" The sudden fury in his words stunned her.

"Relatively? In comparison? But… I—I suppose?" Images of her nights in camp—with him—flashed past, and she couldn't quite deny it.

The questions took on a more personal nature—and for the first time, Kiera realised that there was a definite difference in Sten's behaviour. "When you _were_ with that would-be King?"

"Look, Sten—I'm sorry to have ever brought this ridiculous topic up in the first place. The  _Qun_ —"

"I know the  _Qun_. You,  _kadan_ — as a  _bas_ , do not." That actually stung. But it was true.

Kiera stared after him, watching his retreating figure mutely. A single question remained in her mind. Was Sten—perhaps, jealous? She highly doubted it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a review! It would help greatly :)


	5. You have my Attention

**Chapter 5: Attention**

The _arishok_ watched the Warden from the window of his quarters, her solitary figure moving with great haste in the courtyard. It was odd that she was not accompanied by the Sten—his preference for her company had been duly noted since the first they arrived on Par Vollen shores. The  _tamassrans_  maintained their distance, but there were signs that indicated a growing interest in the matter.

This fact did not concern him very much—and any action taken based on that was up to the  _Ariqun_. What concerned him was the fact their 'guest' was _training_ alone.

He glanced at his own weapons and considered. The previous night was— _informative_ , to say the least, but he remained immensely puzzled by the woman. Her forthrightness was refreshing, and her deference odd. She challenged nothing of the  _Qun_ , perfectly accepting the customs of her host, though still distancing herself from the role that was given to others like her. Female.

 _I am a Warden first, a woman— second. And I humbly request that you treat me as such._  Those were her exact words. Indeed.

The account of this _Blight_ , as presented by the Sten, depicted an 'order' that was worthy of respect. Their paths were clear—and their roles defined their actions, which was to end the 'blight'. This  _order_  was reduced to the single individual whose purpose of returning with the Sten to the lands of the  _Qun_ remained untested, unquestioned as yet. And  _she_  was a _saarebas_. Most curious.

Still, the slight flashes mirrored by her twin blades caught his eye. The moon was high, and the glare off those weapons was distracting, flickers like the  _tiluca_ — the torchflies, skimming the air, reflecting off the walls of the room, disturbing his private musing. He returned to the opening, judging her actions—their last encounter had made her visibly less willing to… interact with him.

There was no hesitance in her movements, though she remained determined to destroy the wooden targets she herself had set up only three mornings ago.

There was need to break this mutual avoidance. He grasped the blades, but not the armor. There was need to find out more about the  _Warden_ , and perhaps, her place within the  _Qun_.

* * *

Kiera

The rivulets that ran down her skin were an indication of how humid the climate was in these parts. She barely broke a sweat before midday while in Orlais, but here—her clothes were never dry at night. At least while the sun was up, the moisture evaporated. Now, she had to be content with being perpetually damp.

It took a while, but she finally got the rhythm of her steps back, her footing stable, her thoughts somewhat clean, and her calmness returned. All that mattered was her breathing, even little puffs, regular and in sync with her movements.

Slice, stab, turn. Zevran had once commented on how much like a dance her style of fighting was—though she disagreed. She knew next to nothing about dancing, and was even less conscious about the way she fought. This— what she did was not for fun. Each twist of her wrist and slight shift of her weight was targeted to maim and kill.  _Very assassin-like, yes? There is more in common between us than you think,_ he would say, with the dratted wink that spoke volumes.

She snorted mid-reverie, almost losing her balance, coming to a stumbling halt before she could ram face-first into the stick targets.

A disapproving hum came from behind her, and she straightened immediately. One did not get away with looking like an utter fool in front of the  _arishok_ — and Kiera was aware that she had very nearly mooned him in these thin clothes. Since their last conversation, she wished that she was wearing more layers. At the very least, her leathers. And maybe her platemail. Also, that scarf Wynne had knitted for the whole party. Perhaps a blanket for good measure.

"Evening—nice…weather." she began, before faltering. What did people say in situations like this? This was going to be agonizing.

The calm evaluation that greeted those words did not help.

At length, the  _arishok's_  gravelly tone was heard. "Is it a custom in your lands to state the obvious?" The shadow that was ever present in his brow seemed darker tonight.

Kiera winced. This was not going well. She took a deep breath, and tried again.

"Yes, apparently. Would you like to spar?" There was simply no escaping another night spent like this, and it was good exercise.

A nod settled it, and the leader of the  _antaam_  slipped into a stance.  _There was something very different about him today,_  thought Kiera, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

It was only when he moved, so lightning-quick, and Kiera barely managing to defend herself in response when it finally hit her. He was not wearing any armor. He had a very impressive, _very_ defined torso—and shoulders that were far broader than Sten's. She gulped.

* * *

Sten

For many hours after, the  _kadan's_  words still echoed. "Relatively." It was disturbing, and very distracting. For many hours after that dialogue, he remained haunted, unable to function, beyond a disinterested attempt at going through the daily motions. Sten wished that the subject had not come up in the first place—for the  _Qunari_ —there was no comparison of this "pleasantness". One felt content, at peace, within the  _Qun._

No excessive emotions or  _feelings_  were necessary. Or expected.

He knew that he had to rid himself of this burning obsession—though he knew not how. Curiosity was not something he has had to deal with for a long time. The satisfaction of an unknown in the  _Qun_ was always to seek knowledge.

Perhaps it was to be so. Perhaps the only way to…satiate this  _sensation_  was to fulfill it.

His footsteps were much more rapid—he knew that she was not likely to be asleep. The compounds would be empty, and though he could not ask her for such a thing, perhaps she would speak of it.

Perhaps just hearing the lurid details might make the act distasteful enough to him—or to satisfy this yen. Her kind did seem to enjoy regaling others in a similar fashion, though the assassin elf had to be an extreme example of such depravity.

Sten's footfall slowed as he neared the compound. The sound of metal on metal was not unfamiliar to his ears, though not something one would expect at this time at this hour. Was the  _kadan_  sparring with another? It was very unlike her.

He came to a halt as he saw the sight—plain— even from beyond the outermost fringe of the courtyard—a desperate battle being fought, and all the  _kadan_  seemed capable of was delivering glancing blows, though a valiant attempt as it were. She was most definitely on the losing end in this fight.

Sten continued watching, his arms crossing with a definite interest. This _qunari_  was an excellent warrior, though there were no clues as to who he was, from this distance.

The bulk and speed of the  _qunari_  was a definite edge over his  _kadan_ —Sten knew. But as soon as that thought crossed his mind,  _she_  slipped out from where he had her trapped, his momentum continued to bear down on where she was no longer. A grim look plastered on her face, the dampened tendrils of her fair hair clinging to her forehead—and the  _kadan_  forced the entirety of her weight (as insignificant as it was), focused in her angled shoulder, driven into the  _qunari's_ abdomen.

It was over. Her opponent was pushed back a fair distance, flat on his back  

By far a remarkable display—the first takedown Sten had ever seen demonstrated by the  _kadan_.

The sharp edge of both blades trapped the  _qunari_ 's neck, and the  _kadan_  seemed unusually elated at her victory.

She released her opponent with a smile, her voice bearing the barest hints of her exhaustion. "I believe I win this round,  _arishok_."

Most incredible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope those of you who are reading still enjoy it! Thank you so much for dropping by :)


	6. Fear of Missing Out

**Chapter 6: Fear of Missing Out**

Kiera

The _arishok_ rose to his feet, and watched her, without a hint of embarrassment or shame. This was why she liked sparring with him—there was no expectation of an automatic win, or loss—though perhaps these emotions were hidden quite well. Something else seemed to be in his gaze, it was  _searching_ for— something.

"There is, another subject in which you could  _enlighten_  me, Warden." The  _arishok_  rumbled, and those silver pupils drew Kiera in without a pause. They were a most dazzling gleam in the darkness, nothing quite as piercing as when she saw them in daylight. She had retrieved his weapons, and handed these to him with a smile that faltered, reminded about their last encounter.

"And that is?" She hoped that it had nothing to do with that subject on which they parted last—not again. At least, he did not appear in the least interested in walking towards the sleep-quarters.

The  _arishok_  sat on the stone steps that led up into the compound that Kiera knew as the barracks, and she followed suit, placing her blades next to her. The moon was high, tonight.

"Why have you come to the lands of the  _Qun_?"

She had no ready reply. The best she could offer was that she had been curious, and she didn't particularly want to stay in Ferelden—but  _arishok_  would not be interested in her very many problems.

There was a long silence. "Did you wish to embrace the  _Qun_?"

She cocked her head, thinking. It was true that she was searching for something. Purpose? Her duty with the Wardens was indeed quite similar to the roles the  _qunari_  had.

"If you insist on being unresponsive, Warden…" The  _arishok_  did not sigh like Sten would, but Kiera knew that she was trying his patience. It was something that bugged her—that she had no reason for why she was here.

"I think I liked our  _other_  discussion better," she mumbled. She hated being forced to face the reasons behind the decisions she made on the spur of the moment, hated being confronted with questions. It felt worse when someone like the  _arishok_  did the asking. She rubbed her face hard, ill at ease.

A smile seemed to accompany his next words. "The feeling is mutual." Yet another thing that nudged at her already sinking stomach—that the  _arishok_  would deign to act like such. It had to be unheard of.

"Why do you… entertain someone like me? With… such candidness?"

The sharp reply from him almost stopped her heart. "I do not  _entertain_  anyone."

Kiera winced, feeling the embarrassment flare anew in her cheeks. Her unwise choice of words had riled him, and putting on her most placating expression, she turned, hoping to grovel—before seeing that strange expression he now wore, a strange light in his eyes. Was that actually  _amusement_? Abruptly, she threw back her head, and chortled, long but half-stifled, needing the release after days of being somewhat morose.

No one was going to believe that the  _arishok_  was bloody making fun of her.

* * *

Sten

The  _kadan_  had somehow, incurred the  _arishok's_  interest—leading to this foreign sight—a private meeting and sparring in the night-time, against all traditions and customs. Sten did not recall a second instance of anyone being admitted into a solitary audience with the leader of the  _antaam_ , much less a scene of such apparent light-heartedness.

She was laughing, or was bent over, quite in pain, from where Sten was—shaking vigorously. He took steps in that direction, out of the shadows that had hidden him thus far, before stopping himself with much determination. The _arishok_ could not know that Sten was quite so obsessed with the  _kadan_ , to have forgone sleep, and made his way to the courtyard to speak to the female. Moreover, to find one such as her—so… engaged.

She had indeed, recovered from that bout of infirmity, but both her hands appeared to be clutching at the  _arishok's_  left arm, before managing to sit upright in her initial position. She did not appear to have noticed her transgression, nor was the  _arishok_ markedly affected.

Sten could not help but frown. What did this image mean? Had the  _kadan_  overstepped her boundaries by intruding on the  _arishok_? Was the woman mad? Unwell? It was most perplexing to not being able to approach, or hear their apparent exchange of words from this distance.

He felt a keen sense of unease.


	7. Acknowledgment and Approval

**Chapter 7: Acknowledgment and Approval**

Arishok

He watched her express her apparent mirth out loud, something that never struck those of the  _Qun_. This was an emotion that the teachings did not favour, for it was wasteful in its frivolous sapping of time, and energy. She clutched at his arm, seemingly requiring the support as she gasped for air, even as she expelled it in such a manner. The heat he felt as that hand connected, that transfer of warmth to his skin told more than mere words could —something that was not described in any teaching —a comfortable intimacy with another. But the Warden sobered quickly, wiping moisture from her eyes—a most curious thing. Was she truly laughing? Or in distress? The _arishok_ found himself raising a finger to her cheek, catching the single droplet that fell unchecked by her own efforts. Everything about her was warm.

"I—apologise. I have not laughed in quite a while." She had not noticed his movement, still distracted in her digression of those  _feelings_.

It was something that bespoke her foreignness, an intriguing conflict which attracted in its absolute ability to confound, these informal meetings showed a reality that had never once crossed his mind. A reality that lay behind the other peoples of the lands beyond the  _Qun_. Would they be as inconsistent? Very much so. Would they give the  _qunari_  warriors pause in their attack? A definite negative.

But this female gave one cause to  _believe_ , an alternative path, and perhaps even a future bridging the irreconcilable.

"How is the act amongst your people?" If breeding could produce similar positive traits, then there would be a further reason to bring knowledge to these lands.

Her response was not one of surprise, "Believe it or not, you're not the first to ask me this." She paused, sighing as she continued. "It mostly happens between two people in love, though decadence and circumstances have made many seek it for physical pleasure. Others use it as a means of earning currency. And that is just a very brief summary."

It was puzzling that she was so forthright with this topic, even if it painted an unflattering picture of the lands from whence she came.

"The utility of the  _act_ —as you call it—" the Warden smiled gently, "does generate scrutiny among the general populace, of complicated birthrights, the want to further a particular bloodline, the creation of a family and so on as intended outcomes. But as a Warden, I am very much unable to participate in the same, and so, I am not the person to explain any further."

He thought deeply about this, considering her final words. "Does your Order have strict teachings in this regard?"

"Oh no—not in the least, but members of our Order… suffer from degenerative effects of our unfortunate occupation." The  _arishok's_  grim silence prompted her clarification, very much needed in this instance.

"Grey Wardens are unlikely to conceive. It comes with the reputation." So this was the reason her female qualities ranked low for herself—the signifier of her sex—and the ability to birth children was not available. Her flat, direct answer impressed him, for it showed that she worked to the best of her other abilities.

Thus, it remained to be seen if she was the representative specimen of her people, those of varying extremes; those who thrived in disgusting lows, and those who carried themselves well. The  _arishok_  understood that she garnered respect where there was once only disdain —noting the figure that even now, watched them from a distance.

He understood.

"The Sten wishes to speak with you." And there was indeed much the  _arishok_  had to ponder upon, in silence.

"Sten?" He watched her gaze sweep out across the yard. "Right—no horns." She suppressed a smile, and getting to her feet, went forth to seek out her  _friend_. There was indeed a reason that she was recognized as his  _kadan_ —much of what she did was worthy of that title.

‘Love’— the forming of a strong personal attachment was not frowned upon amongst the  _qunari_ ; the affection that could at once, be volatile and calming in its manifestations. He did not truly understand these inclinations, but accepted them as necessary at times, for it was understood as part of the survival instinct, a function to keep beings together against menaces and to facilitate the continuation of a collective whole. In that understanding, there was purpose to these affections.

The  _arishok_  approved.


	8. A Demonstration

Kiera

Sten was walking away awfully fast—Kiera had a hard time keeping up with those long strides— he seemed eager to leave when he realized that she was making her way towards him. She had distinctly met his gaze before staring in shock as he turned away and made to flee.

"I'm not letting you get away from me again," she muttered under her breath, breaking into a sprint when she was sure that the  _arishok_  could no longer see them from the compound.

Her speed matched and soon overtook Sten's, and she blocked his advance, something that seemed quite familiar. The man, in turn, was wide-eyed, wary even by this confrontation. Kiera glared fiercely, expecting something, anything that would explain his recent behavior, though she had not forgotten that last conversation on the beach.

She tried for being direct, the  _qunari_  did prefer that sort of thing. "Explain yourself, Sten."

To her immense astonishment, the brooding look ignited once more, rage flaring anew with words that sounded almost like a snarl. "You explain  _yourself_ —" Sten began, before seeming to withdraw, shutting off his emotions again, as usual. "Never mind,  _kadan_. It is nothing."

"Oh, it's definitely  _something_." She narrowed her eyes, carefully approaching her friend. Aside from the regular patrols, there was little chance of getting discovered this side of the walls. The  _qunari_  turned in as soon as dusk fell— no reason for civilians to build fires when the daylight was gone. "Something is troubling you, and if it's about the  _act_ , I promise I'll answer any questions you have."

But his lilac eyes remained suspicious, meeting hers before glancing away again. She could see that he was considering her offer, and would very soon assent—something that was rather predictable about Sten of the Beresaad—he was invariably curious, and would not stop until he had a satisfactory response.

They continued walking, to that spot by the sea, with the two large boulders just at the right height for sitting. Thus began, the fateful inquiry.

* * *

Sten

"What is your business with the _arishok_?" This was important to establish, at the very start of this conversation. It was extremely unlikely, but the way the  _kadan_  had behaved made no other conclusion, her over-familiarity with the military leader of the  _Qun_  cast unseemly suggestions.

She pondered for just a moment, before meeting Sten's gaze steadily. "I suppose…we're closely acquainted? It is but a perfectly innocent relationship, Sten. We spar together. Sometimes, that leads to –  _discussions_."

Her manner had altered slightly at the last, and Sten knew the cause of her first troubling query. The  _arishok_ had prompted her interest in the act—a disturbing thought. He decided that this dialogue should end, and she should return to the compounds. The  _arishok_  would most certainly be able to satisfy her— _concerns_  in a manner more satisfactory than he.

Sten sighed, before moving to leave. But her voice still held more sway over his body than his tumultuous thoughts did. "That's it?" It was a soft sound, sultry in its intent. It held —the  _promise_  of a somewhat pleasing smile in those two words. And she was, watching him with as much understanding as Sten felt in that moment. Her sapphires to his lilacs, her grin brought a similar reaction in him.

An understanding was reached.

"Among my people,  _it_  usually begins with a  _kiss_." The thin arch of her eyebrow, the unflinching gaze and the gentle sibilance drew closer, though Sten had moved not. "What about yours?"

He settled back on the stone, feeling his own blood course more warmly in his extremities. "I am not familiar with that word." A kiss.

"I could—  _demonstrate_." A laugh was building in that tone, Sten knew; faint-mocking trills of her mirth would soon follow her repetition of his past words. But he would give her no chance to snicker at them both, thus ruining their circumstances.

He had lied, and she suspected not.

A sudden movement on his part brought his face close to hers, almost as if daring her to try. She swallowed most audibly, but did not draw away. His own lips parted, meeting her closed mouth, nudging her intently with his tongue before that drew a response. Was she shocked? Her eyes had grown larger at first, but she had shut them when she finally kissed him back. He felt the  _kadan's_  pulse, speeding as much as his own, thrumming strongly as he tasted her neck, his control over his strength and usual reckless display of bodily-yearning strong—at the knowledge of this woman in his arms. She was different, fragile in this human body, her flesh tender and yielding to his every touch.

Yet she pulled back, glazed and struggling; her breath came in pants, rapid and shallow. The  _kadan_  seemed torn, but she was already sitting in his lap, her hands on his chest.

"Wait. What  _are_  we doing?"

"The act. A demonstration." As if it was not obvious.

A shrug of her shoulders. "Fair enough."


	9. The Act

And there they were, divesting each other of their— garments, with haste, and no heed to the rest of the world. Sten's bronze skin shone with the light of the moon, gleaming with perspiration, outlined against the sky, the sight of his taut, muscled form drew very appreciative thoughts in her mind. But there still was something that held her back—that demanded her notice, before she lost her voice of reason completely. When both  _qunari_  had described the  _act_  as  _unpleasant_ , she had not expected this. Sten seemed altogether too concerned for her well-being, gingerly—tenderly brushing his fingers over her skin, though this control too could not last. Kiera admitted that her curiosity of the _qunari's_ definition of the act had created for her thoughts of violence, unrestrained strength and even bodily damage—and all these overturned when the man who beheld her now with such  _need_  in his eyes stopped, taking in her very naked body.

"Yes? See anything you like?" She grinned as that familiar furrow began in his brow. He remained silent, reaching over, scooping her off the boulder, moving them deeper into the trees.

His replying mumble surprised her, that he had considered quite so much in that moment. "The sand grains will be uncomfortable." Huh. She had not thought of that.

The sound of the waves retreated, but the salty smell of the sea hung crisp around them; they were not far from the stretch of glowing sand. He had laid her on a patch of large leafed vegetation, having determined that their current surroundings were clear of even more potentially harmful things. Even in this advanced state of arousal, she saw—did he care for such things, where most would definitely be  _distracted_  by now. His eyes fell upon her again, and he leaned in close, smoothing firm hands over her numerous scars, even as his lips were at her breast, the tender flicks of his tongue causing her breathing to grow uneven again, gasping when the graze of his teeth excited her—and she unloosed a moan. That sound caused Sten to freeze—tense again as he raised his head once more.

" _Kadan_ ," He began, the strangled tone and equally tortured look forcing her mind into one of clarity. "I do not wish to hurt you."

"You won't." She let her hand move down the length of his abdomen, before coating her hand in a healing glow. " _Saarebas_ , remember? I will mend myself." But the lilac pupils did not seem any surer, and Kiera decided. She slipped one hand, lower, running her fingers over a very singular part of him, and he reacted with a shuddering sigh—a half-growl that reflected the eager throbbing. Kiera claimed his thin lips again, these that once were always disapproving, feeling them meet the other half-way, hungrily, lustfully, sharing a moment where their bodies seemed to meld, together.

He moved his hips, slowly, thrusting deeply and she felt a wave of ecstasy, of him filling her, and soon their rhythm matched, as did the beat of their hearts. His weight was a tender press—reassuring in his bulk, drawing images of the countless battles where they fought side by side. The power that lay beneath the armor always intrigued her, though she had signed those off as moments of stupidity. But she saw things now, with such lucidity, each bead of sweat that fell from their exertions, splashing against the ground, mixed with the dew which grew on the leaves—and Kiera felt that time had slowed, for her—and she wondered why it never had before. Her heightened senses made it clear that he had always been there, all along. And he was here, too. Their combined gasps, the shivering arch of her body, the way he felt pressed against her, the strength he so displayed as he lifted her clean off the ground, angling her in a manner so he would fill her more deeply, though still taking great pains not to injure, reacting to each tremble in her limbs. Her human body made him fear hurting her.

This had to stop, Kiera knew.

She was made not of glass, nor was he allowed to treat her like so, in their _act_. "Sten—" she hissed, tilting his chin so she would have his attention. "I will not snap like a twig— just let go of that—" before he assented mid-speech and his actions became hurried— he pushed her back against the trunk of a tree for leverage. She felt the bark dig into her back, knowing that a bruise would grow in the morning. His breaths came more rapidly, as did hers, and she knew that they were both close. And when it finally did, she dug her fingers into his shoulders, riding the momentum that had carried them thus far— before the crash of pure ecstasy overcame them both, and they cried out in pleasure at the release. It was a long spill, a wash of bliss that did not end immediately, rather, continued in an unending, very satisfying throb of their passions.

Their lips met again, devouring and feeding, the conclusion of their demonstration.

For a long, breathless while he remained above her, his forehead touched against hers as he whispered something.  _Asala._  Fingers brushing her swollen lips and tender parts. Breaths they shared, as their bodies lay intertwined. It was a long time before Sten spoke again, but while it lasted, it had been a comfortable silence, one that had her nestled against his chest, idly tasting the salt on his warm, warm skin. The swash of the waves soothed, as did the sky that was an endless expanse, the twinkling of stars and future promise.

"It is as you say—ironic,  _kadan_."

She turned her head, meeting his eyes. She had formed her own conclusions in the time after, something that she felt had explained the  _qunari_  treatment of the act, and was certain that he did, too.

Bashful, even now— that look contained his hesitance—and she knew why her companion had rarely cast an eye in Morrigan's direction while they travelled together; having found the witch's state of undress both wanton and distasteful. This was the reason why the  _qunari_  found the  _act_  quite so repugnant, because it was the single-most action that took bodily desire— _lust_ , making it out to be the uncontrollable expression of a physical function that should serve little purpose beyond breeding. A utility that instilled more teachings in favour of the  _Qun_.

Their people had been taught to fear such aimless copulation, such an investment of emotion and trust that did not contribute to the collective whole that was the  _Qun_. One could be hardly trusted to place the  _Qun_  above a significant emotional and physical connection with a significant other, and hence its teachings renounce the link of the two, becoming one  _only_  with the  _Qun_.

It was a much less complicated system, when one separated affection from bodily pleasures—if quite strange and terrible to those like her.

She cupped his face with both hands, very tenderly. Her arms felt weak from their exertions—but it was all worth it. "What's ironic?"

"That it was you who had returned my blade,  _Asala_."

This confused her; perhaps Sten did not fully grasp the meaning of the term. "And how is it ironic?"

"That you seem to have stolen it, again." The now-familiar smile curled, a true mirth appearing.

Now this, she did not understand. Was it a private joke? "What?"

"You have  _replaced_  it—my  _soul_." Sten kissed her, just once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not very good at uh... scenes. (these were written a while ago, just crossposting these from FF.) Thanks for your readership!

**Author's Note:**

> I really like writing about the Qun, but I always worry about getting facts/terms/ wrong, so I do cross reference as much as I can with what the wikia has said. If I have made any mistakes, I apologise. Do drop me a review, or a pm, if you would like to discuss more!
> 
> PS: this was written a long time ago, I'm cross posting it from ff. net, I would still love to hear from everyone here!


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